Speaking the Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:7–16 and the Call to Maturity

Well beloved It's time for you to hear the Word of the Lord. Amen. If you can turn your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 4 and we're gonna be reading this morning 14 to 16 actually, we're gonna be reading verses 7 to 16.

So when you have that, please stand for reading of God's Word. Hear ye this morning the Word of the Lord. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift therefore it says when he ascended on high he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men and Saying he ascended.

What does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions of the earth? He who descended is the one who has also Ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things. And he gave the Apostles the prophets the evangelists as shepherds and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of ministry for the building up of the body of Christ until we all Attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that We may no longer be children Tossed to and fro By the waves and carried about every wind of doctrine by human cunning by craftiness in deceitful schemes rather Speaking the truth in love.

We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ. From whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint With which it is equipped when each part is working properly. Makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

You may be seated. Magnificent God of love we do approach you this morning asking that you to give us insight into your word again, prepare our hearts. Make straight that path The way of the Lord so that we may be able to see and comprehend.

What is the length the breadth the height and the depth of your love for us? And what you've called us as your people as your children to do. To walk in a manner worthy of love and we pray these things in Jesus name.

Amen. Again today's texts and the main texts are going to be verses 14 through 16. In verse 14 the Apostle Paul starts these words this way he says so that We may no longer be children so that Paul is laying for us an imperative the imperative stemming from what he had just Spoken of in the previous text starting in verse 12 where he says to equip the Saints after he gave the church prophets evangelists shepherds and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the Unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature Manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

He says the result of this of this command of what God has qualified you in by means of giving you gifts. Gifts to men gifts to the church. He says now you no longer have to be children but instead you ought to be walking in maturity and godliness.

Growing in your sanctification growing in your Christianity growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and in doing so there is a Protection you see leading up to this sobering statement.

Unity in the Face of Spiritual Immaturity

Paul's appeal to the Ephesian Church is to maintain the unity Of the faith by means of the Spirit. Paul is is calling Christians everywhere to be United as we spoke about this last week. We live in a world that is not united and if it is united It is united only in one front and that is in its opposition toward God his gospel and his people.

Because the world is indeed hostile towards the things of God. There was a video that went viral viral this week of this woman a news Youtuber who who after the Roe v. Wade decision was made was incest that this was pushed by what she called the far right by people who adhere to Christianity and her words were something along these lines.

She says I don't care about your Christianity. I don't care about your Bible. I don't care about your Jesus as if she and they ever did and we're supposed to Back off from our biblical stance. To not contend for the culture to not seeking Jesus reign.

Well friends the world never cared about Jesus never cared about the Bible and that is evident. Even all the more now now ours our goal isn't to force Legislation down people's throat to be a moral people.

Our job is to preach the gospel so that a people can be moral. We don't do so by force. We don't do so by by legislation. We do so by proclaiming the gospel. You see the gospel is not like a piece of legislation that once it's passed.

It has little or no effect upon the people and their hearts. Rather ours is a message that speaks truly to the heart that changes people inside and out therefore propelling us and Compelling us to live out authentically that which we confess and that which we hold dear and so Paul's appeal to the Ephesian Church is to maintain unity in the face of adversity and Friends we see this today and even ever more so clearly now.

That as Christians we ought to be united in the face of great adversity. From the world and from the powers and principalities that be. Again his the emphasis on this is the maintaining. Paul wants us to maintain which means that there's an effort.

There's a work. There's a participation that we have in that which is why starting verse 11 Paul lays out the gifts that he gave to the church so that she may maintain herself in the building up of the faith.

So that she may have what is necessary What is needed for the work ahead and he gives us these truths by also giving us a warning. That we see in verse 14. Again, the imperative is so that we may no longer be children.

But instead we ought to walk and the fullness stature maturity. You see when a person comes to faith in Jesus. The Bible says that they are born again that the old Has passed behold the new has come and the Bible says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 that if anyone be in Christ He's a new creature a new creation.

But what also happens at that moment when a person gives their lives over to Christ and comes under the proper lordship of Jesus Christ, they're essentially a newborn babe. They're a babe a child a baby and the Bible says in the book of Peter that we are to to give these individuals pure spiritual milk from heaven the milk of God's Word.

But not solely so they may have milk forever, but in inevitably that they may grow Through the milk of God's Word and then begin to receive meat meat in due season. Spiritual milk being the things that are easily comprehensible in the scriptures who God is the gospel the good news.

Faith repentance baptism all these things milk and yet we're to grow into maturity. Not to stay on the milk of God's Word, but to go deeper into the full Ness of God's Word for us. And in one way in which we can grow in our faith and grow in our walk with Jesus is by maintaining the unity of the faith the unity of the local body the unity of the body at large.

But again, there's a there's a there's a there's a Key here to Understanding what it is that Paul wants us to comprehend in verse 14 so that we may no longer be children notice the language of Hughes is now tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine by human cunning.

If you're following along in today's insert, I want you to write this in spiritual immaturity can carry us into false doctrine by human cunning and deceit. You can write in the words doctrine and deceit.

You see there is something that Paul is warning us against in its spiritual immaturity. What a spiritual immaturity look like well spiritual maturity according to language of Paul uses. It's like a ship with no sail a Ship with no anchor and it's such a ship that is being tossed To and fro by every wind by every wave by every doctrine of man that carries us aimlessly without direction and without purpose.

A couple years ago there was a story of a young man and a small shipping boat who During a storm got cut off from his fleet and his ship was just Being tossed to and fro for about nine months surviving on rainwater and catching fishes and He was he had no power no direction.

There's nothing he can do to change the direction of his vessel. And therefore he was like one who was just tossed to and fro without any support. Without anyone to help him without anyone to walk with him.

And that is what it looks like when we are spiritually immature when we fall for every wind of doctrine every wind that comes and blows our way and one easy way people get carried away by false doctrine and a sign of spiritual immaturity is People that have already accepted the false doctrine premise of what is often called the lone Christian.

You've heard of that before the lone Christian the Christian who Doesn't need to be anchored in a local church. The Christian who thinks it's just oh, it's just me and Jesus and the lone Christian that says well I don't need to go to church because You know whenever I'm at home, that's church for me.

I just put on the radio listen to some Hillsong music and and that's church and that's church. You know there was a missionary. Who was asking a pastor for funds this missionary? Was sharing all the phenomenal things that he was doing abroad and and and trying to you know drum up support.

And the pastor asked this missionary. He says well these things are sound really fantastic and really great. But but but what church do you belong to? The missionary said what church do I belong to. Well I belong to the Universal Invisible Church and The pastor said okay well, but what where do you go weekly like where do you where do you meet?

Are you are you a member of a church and the missionary again said kind of incest and said? I don't think you understand. I'm part of the of the Invisible Church of Christ. I don't need to go to a local church and the pastor respond well all these things sound really wonderful.

What you're doing. So let me give you some invisible money for your Invisible Church, and you can continue doing your invisible work because the Invisible Church is not an excuse for missing out on the blessing and the unity of the local church.

Amen. We need each other and that's what Paul's trying to get at in Ephesians chapter 4 the unity of the Spirit the unity of the body is built within the local church. We need each other the lone Christian is is not a sufficient cause For us to maintain the unity of the faith that Paul admonishes us to do.

Therefore in order to maintain unity we need to remain in the body of Christ. Doing so is a bulwark against false teachers and false teaching as you receive instruction from spiritually matured elders who have kept the historic and biblical faith.

If you can please turn to Acts chapter 20 keeping a finger in Ephesians in our main text, but if you can't turn to Acts chapter 20 and notice what the Word of God gives us here as Paul speaks to the Ephesian elders.

The elders to whom he is now writing in the book of Ephesians, but notice what he says in Ephesians. I mean Acts chapter 20 and Let's look at verse 28 through 30 and Paul said this to the very church.

He writes to in the feet in Ephesus. He says pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock In which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God Which he obtained with his own blood.

I Know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock and from among your own Cells will arise men speaking twisted things to draw away the disciples after them. Paul gives a strong admonition to the church in Ephesus both verbally and written through the book of Ephesians and What he's reminding them what he is admonishing them with is to pay careful attention to the work to the flock.

Beloved, do you not know how much you are worth? In the eyes of Christ. Do you not know that you are indeed in Christ his beloved his children his sheep? Just pastor calling. I earlier today when we were preparing for service We prayed and we prayed he said God what an honor it is to feed your sheep this morning.

Because as your pastors, we love you we care for you and We it's not missed upon us the fact that This is such a grand privilege To be shepherds under shepherds of Christ and shepherds to you and it is our aim to protect you.

To protect you from the wolves of this world who may come speaking twisted things to draw away disciples even after themselves. Yet Even under sound teaching many Christians can fall prey to being tossed to and fro By every wind of doctrine as there's no shortage of churchgoers who fall for all types of heresy.

Wrapped under the banner of a cool website or podcast. You know how many Christians fall for some of the garbage that is spewed on for instance the number one podcast in the world the Joe Rogan show and There are Christians who are getting spiritual advice from a martial artist.

You know, there's also something to be said even within our own group of in our own community within our own camp. That there are Christians churchgoers members who esteem internet celebrity preachers.

More than their own preachers more than their own pastors. And we put these celebrity internet preachers on a pedestal and and there are great preachers out there. And I'm I've got some favorites out there Who I really Love and I really admire and look up to.

But friends may it not be. So that we do so. To the exception of those who are taking the lead amongst us loving you feeding you directing you by means of the Holy Spirit. That we're here to feed you and watch over your soul so that you can grow out of any spiritual immaturity.

So you're no longer Tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. So you're not carried away by false doctrine and by human cunning and deceit. For there are those out there in the world who whose aim is to deceive you of the truth that you have received in Christ Jesus and it's our job as pastors shepherds elders to be a bulwark against such false teaching and doctrines.

Don't buy into everything that you read or see on the internet. Don't believe it all because there's no shortage of Theological fads that come in and out of the church in one decade something new always comes up and really it's not anything new.

It's usually an old heresy wrapped up in a new way and we want to tell you now to stay the course on the Historic and biblical faith, which we proclaim to you verse 15 of Ephesians 4. The Apostle Paul after giving us that warning to be not no longer be children not to be tossed to and fro by every wind of Doctrine he goes on to say in verse 15 these incredible words rather Speaking the truth in love.

Speaking the Truth in Love

We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ. Evidence of spiritual maturity is being able to speak the truth of God's Word in love. If you're following along in a teaching write this in their spiritual maturity means that we speak the truth in love.

Speaking the truth in love notice what that entails. First that entails that you must know the truth. Know the truth that sets men free and not only know it. But that you live it in such a way that you're able to proclaim it in love because there's no shortage of Christians and I think we suffer from this a little bit in our camp being reformed where a Lot of young men or young individuals who come to the doctrines of grace.

They become so Excited and they say this is the way, you know, I'm gonna tell people about reform theology God's sovereignty all these incredible things and then we just kind of hit people over the head of the Bible.

I Mean, have you ever met an obnoxious Calvinist? It's. It's something all right, and it's not an easy thing to contend with and sometimes we can become so Zealous that we forget to speak the truth in love.

Some of us have no problem speaking truth. But the question is can you speak it in love? That's the call of maturity that Christ is calling us to it's not only to know the truth. But to speak it in such a way that you win over even your own enemies that you win over people By your love because the truth of the matter is this.

The world is not interested in how much you know. They're interested in how much you care. Church goers church members Often are not interested in how much you know, but how much you care. When someone is missing from church, do you call them?

Do you see if they're doing well if someone is sick? Do you volunteer to bring meals it can you not only speak truth? But can you walk in love and That's a challenge for us all to remember to walk in love because again some may know the truth, but they wield it like a child wielding a dangerous sword and they often end up hurting people and themselves.

And so the source however of truth is in Christ. Jesus said this about himself in John 14 6 I am the way The truth and the life no one comes to the father except by me. This is an exclusive claim. This is a truth that can be hard to swallow.

Because as we talk to people in the world People often believe and want to believe that well all religions essentially lead to God all religions are Intrinsically good and and they all essentially teach the same thing.

That's what the world says. That's what the world wants. But the truth is different. The truth is this. That Jesus Christ is himself the embodiment of truth. He is truth incarnate and he is Exclusive in that he says it is only by him that a man or woman can be saved.

But it doesn't end there. This is exclusive. But it is also inclusive in that it is for everyone people of all ages people of all nations. Whoever would call the name of the Lord shall be saved that whoever God calls who he elects from the nations he will certainly draw on to himself and Save them with an everlasting salvation.

It is inclusive and that it's for all nations for all age groups for both genders but it's also Exclusive that is only through Jesus Christ. He is the door. You see when Noah was a preacher of righteousness He preached judgment and repentance to the nations and the door of the ark was wide open yet.

Only eight were saved in the flood. The doors of the ark were open. Friends the door of Jesus Christ is open today. And while it is still called today May you now harden your hearts as in the days of rebellion?

But that you would put your faith and trust in Jesus even today while that door is still open. For tomorrow is not promised to you. Many people die young many people die. Unexpectedly the day of judgment is around the corner as the nation's become and become more and more dark.

So we shall let the light shine ever so more until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ therefore beloved. Do not be ashamed of the gospel and that's the last word. I want you to put in that second part.

Spiritual maturity means we speak the truth in love not being ashamed of the gospel. And why ought we not to be ashamed of the gospel? Yes, it's exclusive in Christ. Crisis the door crisis the way the truth in the life, but it is also Inclusive for all who would hear the Word of God.

Therefore we know that the gospel has power power even to save. That in Christ we have this good news this good news that brings us to everlasting life. Is that not good? Is this not? Wonderful. Therefore we should not be ashamed.

You see know this that when you know Jesus you have come to know the truth that sets men free and Truth is not devoid of love but genuine love Requires truth. Does it not think of your own relationships?

Think of your own dealings with one another and your marriage and your friendships and your family. Love requires truth and truth requires love. They go hand in hand, which is why again Paul says speaking the truth in love.

We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head. Truth is not devoid of love. Join you in love again requires truth. It has been said often that truth about love is brutality. But love without truth is hypocrisy.

This message is a truth in love message because Some of the things I'm telling you some of the truth that I'm conveying to you can be hard to hear or swallow. But I say it to you because I love you and because it's the truth.

Not something that I came up with ten seconds ago, but the truth of God's Word that is generational. That is unfading unchanging the world that is constantly changing in a world in which things come in and out of style on a regular basis where if you buy a piece of technology within ten days that is obsolete and yet The truth of God's Word is not obsolete.

The truth of God's Word endures forever and he who does the will of God shall indeed also endure forever truth and true love bears Responsibility. It's one of the few things that our culture doesn't like.

Culture doesn't like that word responsibility. Responsibility is part of walking in love. It's part of maturing and becoming growing into the full stature of Christ and so again true love bears responsibility and I have a responsibility to you and to Christ and We all share in that responsibility to each other and to the Lord.

God gave the church spiritual gifts for the mutual beneficial growing and edifying of the body of Christ with love being the circulatory system of That body. When we as Christians talk about the body.

We're referencing the church. The church is the body of Christ and what makes that church function and grow is love. Love is what makes us grow. Same thing of a child you look at a child how can a child end up well and well suited for life in society is if that child has grown up with love and parents who have Invested in them loved them cared for them sheltered them taught them well.

When a child is loved well He's able to live well in the future. The same is true for all of us beloved if we love well, and if we grow in love We'll be able to love others and love the Lord our God of our heart soul and mind therefore fulfilling the greatest Commandment that there is and the second being of course to love our neighbors as ourselves.

It's about love. So therefore we should not be ashamed. Verse 15 again, it says the following the next part of that. It says speaking the truth in love were to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ.

So our aim if you're following on and teaching once you write this in there. Our aim is to grow into Christ who is the proper head of all things? Notice who we are growing into. We're not growing into a church an organization a political party.

We are growing into Christ who is the head of all things. It is in Christ That we find growth. It's in Christ that we find the purpose of our lives and the purpose the future. We need to grow into Christ who is again the source of both truth and love in Jesus.

We find both truth and Love notice the way that Jesus lived. Notice the way that Jesus taught he taught in such a way that he was able to speak truth truth that divided between joint and marrow soul and spirit but he did so in a way in which People felt loved.

Notice the way when he deals with Prostitutes and when he deals with tax collectors the lowest of the low in society. He called them out for their sin but he didn't say in a way like you see in the media they like to Propagate some of the most extreme and say look at the Westboro Baptist Church who have these terrible signs about Homosexuals or dead American soldiers.

That's not our message. That's not Christ message, but rather his message is repent. Turn away from sin. But not only turn away from sin. But turn to me the author of life the one who gives Eternal life the one who is able to even cure the malignancy of your soul this Jesus.

Is the one we proclaim to you this morning? The one into whom we are to grow into who is indeed the head of all things. And he is the head of all things. So it is into him that we are rooted. Established and growing into we do not again grow into ourselves or an organization or a political cause.

But rather we grow into the true sovereign of all things even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. It is in Jesus where the ordinary the unremarkable grow into the extra and Extraordinary and into the remarkable.

So the question that I have for you this morning is who is your head? Because everyone has a head. Everyone has one whom they are bowing before whom they are following either. It's the culture. It's the ways of this world.

It's a power and the principalities the prince of the power of the air and the Bible says this About this current wicked age that the whole world is lying in the hand of the wicked one either. He is your head.

Adam is your head or it is Christ. Christ Headship means who has authority over you. Either it is the world the powers of darkness Adam who is our first father or Our head is the true and proper sovereign of all things.

The one who lived the life that you and I could not live holy perfect blameless. So much so that when John the Baptist saw him He says behold the Lamb of God who take away the sins of the world. And the one who died the death that you deserved He paid the penalty for your sins all the wretchedness rebellion Transgression iniquity and sin that you've ever committed and ever will commit.

Was nailed to that cross in his body. Died the death that you deserve next to criminals was buried in the tomb. And on the third day he rose again. Demonstrating that he is the head of all things the Bible calls him the second Adam and in the second Adam all Shall be made alive.

Brothers and sisters this calls for you and for me if you have not come to know this true proper sovereign and head of all things even Jesus Christ. May you come to know him even today? Well, it is still called today in verse 16 of Ephesians 4 God's Word says the following from whom the whole body the whole body being a reference to the church the body of Christ.

Joined and held together by every joint. With which it is equipped. When each part is working properly makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Praise God, I want you to write this in if you're following in today's teaching in Christ all things hold together.

Notice what again it says in the beginning of verse 16 from whom. From whom being Christ's subject whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with it with which it is equipped in Christ all things hold together by the equipping that he provides.

You see in Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 to 17. We see this magnificent picture of Christ. Who the Apostle Paul says he is the image of the invisible God the firstborn over all creation that in him all things were created visible or invisible whether thrones of minions principalities or powers and all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things.

Consist and hold together brothers and sisters. Let me tell you something this morning. If you're being held together today is because you're being held together by Christ. If you feel like your life is falling apart.

If you feel like you're falling apart in your relationships and your finances in your future. If you don't know where you're going or where you're going next. Know that Christ is holding you even still in the midst of your trials in the midst of your Unbelief in the midst of all things that you are experiencing.

Jesus is the one who is sovereignly holding you together and Because of this he's also not only holding you together. He is equipping you with what you need to part of that body that is growing in holiness and righteousness to become more like Jesus.

He holds you. He holds you. Well in this passage we see the centrality and the supremacy of Christ and this is indeed the key to a life of Sanctification which is a life in which God is making you holy.

He's changing you inside and out so that you can live out this faith. This is this profession that we call but he's also the centerpiece of All things and not only is he the center, but he's the one who's supreme over it all.

Therefore again demonstrating his headship over all things including you and I this morning but he's given us again the key to a life of sanctification and Equipping for a life of walking with Jesus. You see know this that if Christ Jesus holds all things together, which the Word of God says that he does He holds all things together in the universe.

And he's holding you. That should bring you great comfort and joy. At the reasons why all things are according to their proper order in the cosmos. If you like anything about science and the cosmos and the study of the universe.

You know, the universe is in constant motion this galaxy that we are in the solar system that we are in is in constant motion. It's like a it's like a choreographed dance that the universe is part of right now.

And you and I are in that Beautiful choreography that God has put into motion and he holds all things together. The reason why the Sun and the moon are fixed and they're not flying away from each other.

Yeah, there's a thing called gravity bird is one who made gravity and his name is Jesus. Do you know him this morning? It's Jesus. He holds all things together in the cosmos and he holds you. And if he can hold the Sun in its place in its orbit, he can hold you in place and he's got for us and he is for us a sure and Strong foundation.

Let that truth anchor you let that truth strengthen you. Let that truth embolden you let that truth sustain you and let that truth Empower you to march forward as a Christian soldier in this dark and evil day.

Paul closes off this thought in verse 16. I'll read that again for whom or from whom the whole body again. That's Christ towards the church joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped.

When each part is working properly makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Last part of the teaching this morning when we walk. Properly and once you write that in there. When we walk properly We contribute to the body growing in love.

So my admonition to you this morning based off the message of speaking the truth in love is this watch how you walk. Watch how you walk. It's difficult because the truth is even as Christians We still face of something called the old man the old self the sinful desires of the flesh and There are times in which the old man rears his ugly head and we fall into the prey of sin.

But there's hope. For the Bible says that if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous One. To walk properly Means that we are put into practice the things that we hear and see that we are growing not being Perfect in this side of eternity, but that we are growing towards perfection.

Now that we've attained perfection part of the Christian life is that we Examine our walk examine the way that we live under the authority of King Jesus under the authority of God's Word. So that we do not deceive ourselves.

But that we live authentically the things that we hold dear from God's Word and The key to all of this is love. It's love and I've shared that a lot with you guys. That love is so important to what we do.

Love is why we're here by the grace of God. The reason why you got out of bed this morning to come worship the Saints is because you love God and you love this people. And On a Sunday morning and on most days There's nowhere I'd rather be than amongst the people of God who love God and love the brotherhood.

There's a peace there's a power in that love in that unity and we are building towards unity as We love each other and as we love the Lord our God of all our hearts soul and mind. Therefore invest in your most holy and precious faith beloved by reading God's Word daily.

By spending and developing a lifestyle of prayer and do not and not forsaking the gathering of the body of Christ in doing so we grow into that full measure of stature and maturity that Christ our King has called us to and we can Along with all the Saints around the world.

Grow into the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped. He's equipped you to do just this. And when each part is working properly It makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.